Personally, I see no soft option, if you break the law, you should be puniched.

Auckland police will this weekend take a new approach to road policing - warning motorists for low-level crimes rather than ticketing them.

In his online blog today Police Commissioner Peter Marshall said from Sunday city police will trial giving out traffic warnings for less serious offences for five months.

"The idea is to find a better way of dealing with minor infringements than prosecuting people, which adds to the pressure on our already hard-pressed court system, or handing out $150 tickets."

Marshall said warnings would be a "suitable way" of dealing with motorists who don't abide by the new give-way rules when they come into force later this month "and for other occasions where driver education is more appropriate than punishment".

He said the idea had been piloted in Wellington but the results were inconclusive.

"It's hoped the new trial, which runs in Auckland City, Counties Manukau and Waitemata until August, will give us the information we need."

If the pilot is a success the initiative would extend nationwide.

Marshall said written traffic warnings were the "cousin of the pre-charge warnings" police were already issuing.

He said they had proved a "great success" with 13,802 handed out nationally in their first year.

Marshall said each warning represents about an hour of officers' time saved, and a case diverted from the courts.

He said warnings had reduced the amount of minor cases put before the courts by eight per cent.

"It should be noted that someone dealt with by way of warning hasn't "got away with it".

"Should they err again the fact that they have been warned already will be taken into account, so we hope these warnings will have the effect of reducing levels of reoffending."

Luckily we live in an area with NO toll roads, but when I go to Maryland to visit my daughter, I hit 2. The prices have gone up drastically. Your bridge photo is a wonderful open. The perspective is perfect. Nice work. genie